Almost half of physicians ‘aren’t aware’ of what blockchain is

Despite recent buzz about blockchain’s potential to improve healthcare, a recent survey by SERMO found almost half of physicians aren’t aware of the technology.

Industry and government stakeholders have supported efforts to use blockchain, a permanent and shared ledger of online transactions or exchanges, to streamline healthcare operations. Unlike a traditional database that is centrally located and maintained by one party, a blockchain record is shared among a network of users.

In January, the National Institute of Standards and Technology suggested blockchain may support healthcare record-keeping processes by centralizing patient data across the care continuum.